The YDI provides all kinds of people, from researchers to policymakers, young people to anyone in society, with a way to see where youth are doing well and where improvement is needed to boost levels of youth development.

What does this year's YDI have to say?

There are large variations in the performance of states and territories in overall youth development, with the Australian Capital Territory having the highest YDI score whereas the Northern Territory has a score over three times lower

Since 2006, all states and territories have seen an improvement in youth development. The lone exception is Tasmania which had a seven per cent deterioration. The Northern Territory experienced the biggest change, with a 30 per cent improvement.

Political Participation has seen the largest improvements nation-wide since 2006.

Health and Wellbeing has seen the most significant deterioration in score over ten years. All states and territories bar the NT saw a decline on this domain score.

There is a large developmental gap between urban and rural youth. In all states and territories, the percentage of youth not engaged in education, employment or training is significantly higher for rural youth than for urban youth.

Indicators which can be disaggregated based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) status show there is a large developmental gap for youth that identify as Indigenous. For example, suicide rates are much higher for Indigenous youth than non-Indigenous youth at a national level.